


Starkpads and Cellphones

by Elle_Ashe



Series: Expanded MCU [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Extended Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 09:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14734665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elle_Ashe/pseuds/Elle_Ashe
Summary: A short scene that takes place between Ch. 10 and Ch. 11 of "Six Petals".  If you are not familiar with "Six Petals", it won't make any sense at all.





	Starkpads and Cellphones

**Author's Note:**

> This is a side scene that didn't make the final edit at the end of Ch. 10 of "Six Petals". I like it, but it didn't feel like it flowed right with the chapter so I decided to expand it and post it separately. 
> 
> If you haven't read "Six Petals", this piece will make no sense.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of Marvel's characters, situations, institutions, or anything that has appeared in any product related to Marvel. I only own my original characters and any resemblance to a real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Natasha set the Starkpad on the cradle that was resting on the marble island of the kitchenette.  Everyone else had gone to bed; the living room was empty, the lights were off, and she was alone.  Swiping her finger across the screen in a familiar pattern, she dialed a number she knew so well she could dial it injured or in her sleep.  Settling on a stool, she waited on her best friend to pick up.

 

When the call finally connected, Clint was there with a small smile.  Nat could see Laura in the background, cradling a sleeping Nathaniel on her shoulder.  "Did I call at a bad time?”

 

"Nahhh, you're good."  He looked confused as the room around her finally registered.  "Are you at the Compound?"

 

"Yes.  Tony called Steve - he had a situation that required my help."  Under the line of the camera, she fidgeted a little.  Clint was still a little angry about the Accords, about Berlin.

 

"What the hell, Nat?  I thought you were done with Stark?"

 

"This isn't about Tony.  HYDRA's been grabbing children and turning them into weapons.  Some of them escaped and Tony managed to get to them before HYDRA or SHIELD but he had no idea how to deal with a bunch of super powered teenagers with serious PTSD so he called Steve."

 

"And Steve told you, and you came running.  Sounds like someone poked Momma Bear."

 

She chuckled; Clint knew her so well.  "They're good kids, Clint.  I wish you could meet them."

 

"Yeah, well..." he shrugged.

 

"There's one that reminds me a lot of you.  He's small but tough, and pretty sassy.  And he's damn good with a sniper rifle - hasn't missed a shot yet."

 

"Hey, I'm not small.  Unless you stick me next to Thor and everyone's small next to Thor.  And I don't care how good the kid is, I still do it with more style."

 

"He's fourteen; he'll grow into it."  Sitting in the living room in the Compound, teasing Clint - this was home, and she'd missed it more than she realized.

 

"How many kids do you have Nat?"

 

"Right now?  Twelve, but there's more out there and we're trying to find as many as we can."  Clint just shook his head.  "So how are Laura and the kids doing?  Are they going crazy having to put up with you all the time?"

 

"You ask me that every time you call.  It's like you want them to go crazy and tie me to a tree."  They shared a smile before he continued.  "Actually, Laura's mad at me right now about the tree house I"m building Cooper and Lila."

 

"It's not a tree house, it's a tree village," Laura whisper-growled in the background, trying not to wake their youngest.

 

"I might have added a bit to the original blueprints but I wouldn't call it a tree village.  Maybe a tree neighborhood."

 

They shared a laugh before Clint continued.  They spoke about everything and nothing for a couple of hours before Laura called him to bed and the world felt more right than it had in a long time.

 

 

 

 

 

Tony sat in the lab and stared at the little black cellphone in his hand.  Before he could talk himself out of it, he dialed the lone contact saved in it.  He let it ring, waiting until it went to voicemail.  Then, he began to talk. 

 

“So, Nat said the phone on the other end of this is on silent and you only check it a couple of times a day.  Which is…totally fine.  You know, so it’s not awkward.  Just wanted to kinda catch you up, I guess.  Pepper and I are engaged.  I was thinking of having two weddings.  One public for the paparazzi and one private so if…you, and Sam, and Nat wanted to show up and raid the bar…”  Tony stopped and cleared his throat.  “If you showed up, no one has to know.  We could make it a barbecue or something and…”  The call disconnected as the voicemail reached its end.

 

Tony set the phone down and picked up the piece of armor he’d been fiddling with before he’d called that number.  His hands moved almost without conscious thought but his eyes kept straying back to the little black cellphone sitting on his workbench.  He sat the armor piece back on the workbench to run his fingers through his hair and found he’d picked up the little black cellphone again.  He just couldn’t seem to stop himself from hitting the redial and listening to it ring.  It went to voicemail, as expected, and he started talking to no one again.

 

“So you remember Spider-Man, right?  You guys only met once but I figured you’d probably remember him.  He’s a good kid.  I offered to make him an Avenger but he turned me down.  Said he had things to learn before he was ready for the big leagues.  Real good kid, Capsicle, and damn smart.  It’s too bad you didn’t meet under better circumstances.  You two would get along like apple pie and ice cream.  He’s going to be working with the kids that we’re bringing in; they seem to like him.  I don’t know if you got to hear the press conference, about the Academy.  Nat and I worked it out; she’s going to be running the curriculum and…”  The call ended, cutting off Tony’s words.

 

This time, he didn’t even bother to set the phone down.  He paced through the lab – up and down, between the workbenches and standing equipment, and back again.  Friday, thankfully, remained silent.  He ended up sitting against a wall, his knees drawn up, staring at the ceiling.  Part of him was grateful that there wasn’t any emergency scotch left because he’d be drinking it and it wasn’t really an emergency.  He hit the redial again and put the phone to his ear.

 

When the voicemail clicked on, the words came pouring out.  “I just wanted to say…Steve, I just want to say I’m sorry.  For everything.  For not talking to you about Ultron.  For not listening to you about the Accords.  For Berlin.  For Siberia.  For Bucky.  I’m sorry for not talking to you more and I’m sorry for not listening to you more.  I’m sorry.”  He ended the call before it disconnected, not sure what else he wanted to say.

 

Tony rested his head against the wall, eyes closed.  If his eyes leaked a little, there was no one to see it and he didn’t really care enough at the moment to stop it.  He had no idea how long he sat there; Friday could tell him if he asked.  Eventually, he put the cellphone back to his ear and hit the redial.  He had no clue what he was going to say or why; just the act of saying it seemed to be enough.  He waited for the voicemail to pick up.

 

The phone clicked over on the third ring instead of the fourth and instead of silence, there was a voice.  “Tony, It’s Steve…”


End file.
